Supporting device for cleaners



I 1931- A. o. ENGBERG ETAL 1,792,007

SURPORTING DEVICE FOR CLEANERS I Original Filed June 15, 1926 Original application Patented Feb. 10,1931

' UNITEDXSTATES PATENT OFFICE AXEL oLoE ENGIBERG AND FREDRIK CARI-803E151, or srocimomu, SWEDEN, ASSIGN- oEs T0 INVENTIA PATENT-VERWERTUNGS-GESELLSCHAF'1, 0E scnAEEnAusEn, SWITZERLAND, A CORPORATION or SWITZERLAND surrorvrme DEvIcE FOR cnEANEns This application is a division'of our copending application Serial No. 116,123 filed June 15, 1926.

The invention relates to supports for such devices as vacuum cleaners which rest on carpets and more particularly to the type of vacuum cleaner which comprises afiexible air hose by which the main unit may be pulled over the carpet.

The object of the invention is to provide supportingmeans which is simple in construction, sturdy and which causes no injurlous eifects on a carpet on which the cleaner is moved. 4

The nature of the invention willbecome apparent from consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the ac companying drawing forming'part of this specification and showing a preferred form of the invention.

On the drawing:. Fig. 1 is a side view of a main unit of a vac uum cleaner embodying the'invention;

Fig.2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 shows how the vacuum cleaner iscausing flow of air through the casing.

At the end of the cylindrical barrel to which bell 11 is attached is a ring 13. Ring 13 is attached to the barrel by means of rivets 14. At the other endof the barrel is a ring 15 attached thereto. by rivets 16. Bell 11 is secured to the barrel portion of the casing by means of clamps 17. By releasing clamps 17 bell 11 may be removed and access is thus had to the interior of the casing for removing the dust bag. The motor housing 12 slides into the barrel 10 and is secured thereto by means of screws 18 passing through ring 15. A

4 ners in the clamps.

filed June 15, 1926, Serial No. 116,123, and in Sweden December 16, 1925. Divided. and this application filed December 22, 1926. Serial No. 156,466.

handle 19 is provided for carrying the cleaner unit.

the tapered end of a flexible metal air hose 21 is jammed, which air hose leads to a mouthpiece 22 into which the dust passes, an extension 23 being used between the mouthpiece and the air hose, if desired.

The main barrel and associated parts are mounted upon runners 25, of which there are two, one positioned on either side of the main barrel and which form a sled carriage for the main unit. The runners are fastened at each end of the main barrel to clamps 26 secured to rings 13and 15. Clamps 26 may be secured to rings 13 and 15 by being cast in one piece therewith. Each clamp comprises a curved portion which is fitted to and secured to the ring and a somewhat flexible lip 27. These two parts are provided with recesses 28 into which the runner is adapted to set. The runners are slipped into the recesses 28 and secured by means of screws 29 which serve to move lips 27 toward the circular portion of Y the clamp which is secured to the outer ring of the main barrel. Clamps 26 are secured to rings 13 and 15 below the horizontal centerline plane of the barrel so that the runners are under the body portion of the unit.

Runners 25 are made oval in cross-section, the major axis of the oval being parallel to the surface on which the unit rests. The oval cross-section gives greater strength for a given cross-section of runner, provides better a sliding qualities, gives a neat appearance and,

furthermore, prevents rotation of the run- Recess 28 can be so shaped that there is no possibility of the runner turning in the same and thus dislocation of the runners is prevented. 1

The runners extend from the clamps outwardly beyond the main barrel 10 and then return underneath the barrel slightly curved, which makes the sliding and the turning of the unit on a carpet easier. Each runner may be said to comprise outer curved portions 30 and intermediate surface contact portions 31 extending substantially the length of, the easing. As shown in Fig. 1, the convex side of curvature of the surface contact portion 31 is the supporting surface. The runners provide two supporting surfaces which are of large curvature in the main direction of extent. The runners are made of single pieces of'heavy wire.

By means of the above described arrangement, the main unit can be readily moved around on a carpet by pulling on the air hose without tugging at or injuring the car et. The simple construction facilitates manufacture and provides a neat appearing unit and one readily handled. The extended surface contact portions of the runners give a large bearing surface in use which prevents marks in or injury to a carpet as might occur where the weight is concentrated on a small aggregate contact surface. The runners may serve to protect an electric connection plug in a recess in the housing positioned between the runners as shown on the drawing and 'de scribed more in detail in the parent application which has become Pat. No. 1,757,239, granted May 6, 1930.

What we claim is:

1. A vacuum cleaner for carpets and the like comprising a cylindrical casing, a pair of runners, one on each side of the casing and exfending longitudinally of the casing, for slidably supporting said casing in horizontal position above a horizontal surface and runner supporting members extending around said casing including clamping means for holding said runners in fixed position.

2. A vacuum cleaner for carpets and the like comprising a cylindrical casing, a pair of runners, one on each side of the casing, for slidably supporting said casing in horizontal position above a horizontal surface, means for attaching said runners to said casing, one on each side of the casing, each of said runners consisting of a length of heavy wire including rounded end portions and an intermediate surface contact portion, said runnersextending substantially the length of the casing and the surface contact portion of each runner be ing bent to a slight curve downwardly in the middle.

'3. A vacuum cleaner for carpets and the said runners consisting of a length "of heavy wire including rounded end portions and an intermediate surface contact port1on, said wire being of oval cross-section with the major oval axis parallel to the supporting surface and each runner extending substantially thelength of the casing, the ends of the runners being clamped in said clamps.

4. A vacuum cleaner for carpets and the like com rising a cylindrical casing includ ing a cy indrical barrel portion, rings surrounding said barrel portion adjacent the ends thereof, clamp members secured to said rings, a runner on each side of said casing secured in said clamp members, said runners serving to slidably support said casing in horizontal position above a horizontal surface, each of said runners consisting of a length of heavy wire including rounded end portions and an intermediate surface contact portion and each runner extending substantially the length of the casing, the surface contact portions having a slight curvature, the'convex sides of curvature constituting the surfaces of contact for support.

5. A vacuum cleaner for carpets and the like com rising a cylindrical casing including a cy indrical barrel portion, rings surrounding said barrel portion adjacent the ends thereof. clamp members secured to and extending outwardly from said rings and a pair of runners, one on each side of the easing for slidably supporting said casing in horizontal position above a horizontal surface. each of said runners consisting of a length of heavy wire including rounded end portions and an intermediate surface contact portion and each runner extending substantially the length of the casing. the ends of the runners being clamped in said clamps.

6. A vacuum cleaner for carpets and the like comprising a cylindrical casing including a cylindrical barrel portion. rings surrounding said barrel portion adjacent the ends thereof. clamp members secured to and extending outwardly from said rings and a pair of runners, one on each side of the casing for slidably supporting said casing in horizontal position above a horizontal surface. each of said runners consisting of a length of heavy wire including rounded end portions and an intermediate surface contact portion and each runner extending substantially the length of the casing, the ends of the runners being clamped in said clamps, said clamps being secured to said rings at points below the horizontal center-linc plane of the barrel.

7. A vacuum cleaner for carpets and the slidably supporting said casing in horizontal position above a horizontal surface, means for attaching said runners to each side of the casing, each of said runners consisting of a length of heavy wire including rounded end portions and a surface contact portion extending substantially the length of the easing. saidwire being of uniform oval crosssection with the major oval axis parallel to the supporting surface and the surface contact portions having a slight curvature, the convex sides of curvature constituting the surfaces of contact for support. r :8. A vacuum cleaner for carpets and the like comprising a cylindrical casing including a cylindrical barrel portion, rings surrounding said barrel portion adjacent the ends thereof, clamp members secured to said rings, a runner oneach side of said casing secured in said clam'p members,'said runners serving to slidably support said casing in horizontal position above'a' horizontal surface, each of said runners consisting of a. length of heavy wire including rounded end portions and an intermediate surface contact.

portion extendingsubstantially the length of 'the casing, said wire being of oval cross-section with the major oval axis parallel to the supporting surface and the surface contact portions having a slight curvature, the con-- vex sides of curvature constituting the surfaces of contact for support.

9. A device of the character described com prising a housing, said housing comprising a 5 main cylindrical barrel, a ring around said barrel at each end thereof, clamps secured to said rings and runners secured in said clamps and extending longitudinally of the barrel for .slidably supporting the device, said housing having a recess, a socket in said recess for receiving 'an electric connection plug and said runners being bent and PQSi! tioned to either side of the. recess to protect 1 the plug.

- Signed at Stockholm, Sweden, this 17th day of November, A. D. 1926. y

' AXEL OLOF v,ENGBERG. FREDRIK G ARLSTEDT. 

